Wastewater, such as wastewater from factories or manufacturing plants, must be treated for contaminants before it is discharged into the environment. Water for use in industrial or other manufacturing process often requires treatment before use to alter its chemical or physical characteristics. Electrocoagulation is an electro chemical process that simultaneously removes heavy metals, suspended solids, organic and other contaminates from water using electricity instead of expensive chemical reagents. Electrocoagulation was first used to treat bilge water from ships. The Electrocoagulation process passes contaminated water between metal plates charged with direct current. While the term “wastewater” is often used herein, the term is to be understood to mean any water from which one may wish to remove a “contaminant” even though the contaminant may not necessarily be a material that would be harmful to ones health.
Additional background in the specifications regarding electrocoagulations may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,493, the specifications or drawings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Applicant's provide, in the invention disclosed herein, an unpressurized electrocoagulation reactor, with plates in parallel to the flow of the water, which reactor has the capability of treating a higher flow of wastewater than has heretofore been available.